


tea and tattoos

by angel_bubbles



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Autistic Character, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, Hinata Shouyou & Yachi Hitoka Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Tea, Trans Character, but its not explicitly stated who, graphic designer yachi, guess who it is, kiyoko is beautiful and yachi Can't Handle It, saeko kenma and alisa are all stylists, salon owner kiyoko, tattooed kiyoko, they are also great wingmen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-13 23:30:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11770710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angel_bubbles/pseuds/angel_bubbles
Summary: Yachi can't stop staring at the beautiful salon owner across the street.In which Yachi is at a constant loss for words, but Kiyoko thinks it's cute so maybe it's not so bad.





	1. tea for two

Yachi can't stop staring at the girl across the street.

It started about a month ago. A small salon opened up right next to her apartment, placed in a way that gave her a perfect view of the front door from her bedroom window. She hadn't thought much of it at the time, but after a couple days she took notice of its presumed owner. She was a tall, thin girl, with blue-black hair styled perfectly, impeccable makeup, and well-groomed and manicured nails. She had tattoos running up and down both her arms, and on days she wore low collars, Yachi could even see some on her neck and chest. She carried herself with dignity, taking long strides with her head held high. She was the figurehead of beauty and grace.

Instantly, Yachi had become smitten with the girl, watching her from her window throughout the day. Sometimes she would sit outside the salon and sip tea. On those days, Yachi would quickly procure her own cup and drink it along with her, imagining she'd finally worked up the courage to speak to her and they were both down there, chatting away about nothing in particular. She felt particularly pathetic while doing that, but despite herself, it always managed to make her feel warm inside.

Today, the girl seems busy, taking client after client with seemingly no end in sight. Yachi watches in amazement as people file in, disappearing into the salon and coming out not thirty minutes later looking fresh and new. That girl, whoever she may be, is clearly very good at her job. Yachi's heart twitches as she imagines what it would be like to have her hair styled by her. Her face burns and she smacks herself, dispelling the thought. 

Many times Yachi has considered going there for a trim, but every time she thinks about it, that girl's face appears in her mind and the very idea of seeing her up close sends her into a mild panic. She's long since written off making an appointment, having convinced herself it's an impossible dream. 

But, every now and again, the girl will come out of her salon and sit outside with a sad look on her face. Yachi doesn't know what troubles her, but she always feels the urge to go down to talk to her. The idea is always quick to disappear-Yachi just doesn't have the courage to talk to someone so clearly out of her league. And so, she simply stares out at her with her head in her hands, wondering why that beautiful and talented girl is so sad.

Her eyes brighten when she sees the girl come out, looking tired. She sits by herself as always, her gaze drifting aimlessly as she twiddles her fingers. Something is missing, but Yachi isn't quite sure what it is. She watches rub one of her nails when suddenly, it comes to her.

 _There's no tea!_

True to her thoughts, the girl is lacking in tea as she sits alone outside her salon. She appears to be visibly agitated as she watches passing cars, tapping her foot and rubbing her nails. Yachi swallows and looks away.

_Is this an opportunity?_

Yachi allows herself another look at the girl, and quickly looks away again. _No, there's no way. Someone like her shouldn't be bothered by someone like me._ But as she looks once again, and sees sadness ebb its way onto her perfect features, Yachi knows she can't just watch and do nothing the way she has been. She stands from her desk chair and quickly makes her way into the kitchen.

She finishes her work after just five minutes, and she congratulates herself on her record timing. She checks outside once more to see if the girl is still there, and when she spots her, she takes a deep breath and heads for her front door with her sleeves pulled over her palms to keep them from burning.

~~

Yachi can feel her confidence dwindling as she stands in the presence of her personal goddess. Though she's looking down and has not yet noticed Yachi's presence, she still feels her heart beating out of her chest. She considers turning tail and running away, but she steels herself as she remembers the look that had been on her muse's face as she'd peeked out the window. She squeezes her eyes shut and holds her breath, counting to five before opening them again, and coughing quietly.

The girl looks up upon noticing another's presence, and Yachi feels a piece of her soul leave her body. She is not wearing her glasses today, so she can see her eyes in all their glory. They're the deepest shade of azure she'd ever seen, and her eyelashes were long and thick. Peach lips quirk upward in greeting and she quirks her head slightly, and Yachi swallows the lump that suddenly formed in her throat.

"H-hello..." Yachi manages to stutter out. She clenches her throat a bit in an attempt to keep her voice level. "I saw that you looked sad today and, um...I just wanted to bring you this because...you seem to like tea and I...didn't want you to...feel...sad..."

She trails off, cursing herself in her mind as she slowly holds out the cup of tea she'd brewed for her, her face red as she looks away in embarrassment. 

After a couple seconds with no response, she starts to panic. _I knew this was a mistake there's no way she'll take this she knows I've been spying and she's going to be disgusted this was a bad idea, a bad bad idea-_

Yachi's thoughts are halted as she feels the cup gently leave her grasp. She slowly turns toward the girl again, and she has to stop herself from gasping out loud. The girl is smiling at her for real now, her eyes crinkling at the bottom. Suddenly Yachi is very aware of a beauty mark just below her mouth. She swears the salon owner is glowing as she says, "thank you very much."

She's frozen stiff with her arms out as if she was still holding the cup as she watches the girl take a sip before nodding in appreciation. She sighs in contentment, relaxing her shoulders and leaning back in her seat. She looks toward the stock-still Yachi with an unreadable expression.

"You can sit down if you like."

Yachi squeaks and curls her arms into her body as she slowly lowers herself onto the chair across from her. She immediately slaps herself in her mind-now that she's sat down, there's no way to escape without making things awkward. She's signed her own death warrant at this point, and she stares down at the glass table separating them, chewing her lip in anxiety.

"There's no need to look so tense. I promise I don't bite."

Yachi's face burns and she forces herself to look up. The girl is smiling at her, but not in a mocking way. She giggles to herself, and Yachi's chest clenches-it's music to her ears.

"So, will you tell me your name, or would you rather keep your anonymity?"

"Yachi Hitoka!" She all but shouts out. The girl looks startled and Yachi is prepared to berate herself again, but she stops herself when she hears more of that sweet and angelic laugh.

"Well, hello, Hitoka." The girl extends her hand, balancing the teacup on her leg. "I'm Shimizu Kiyoko. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Yachi's hand trembles as she reaches out to take Kiyoko's hand, and she lets the salon owner do the shaking. Kiyoko returns to her tea, her smile widening as she finishes it.

"Thank you again for the tea, Hitoka. I really needed it." 

She hands the cup back and Yachi quickly takes it back, though she lets her fingers linger on Kiyoko's for just a bit too long. She scuffs the sidewalk with her shoe and taps the side of the cup with her nail. She opens her mouth and closes it again, preparing to leave, but when she notices the curious look Kiyoko was giving her, she roots herself to her seat and spills what's been on her mind.

"Why did you look so sad?"

Kiyoko sighs and looks out toward the street. "My work does get very tiresome sometimes. I love it here, but the sudden influx of customers has been stressful." She pauses for a moment. "And I've had a lot on my mind lately."

Yachi nods and leans forward. "I understand, I get that way too. I love my work also, but it's easy to get overwhelmed. That's why it's important to take breaks!" She holds up the empty teacup. "Maybe make some tea and relax on the couch for a while."

There is a ghost of a smile on Kiyoko's lips. "That is very relaxing. I always bring tea with me to work so I can drink it during my breaks, but today I was in a hurry, and I forgot it at home. I suppose it contributed to my bad mood."

"Oh, that explains it! I always see you out here with the same cup of tea, but today you didn't have it and I was wondering why," Yachi blurts out without thought. She pales after the words leave her mouth. _Now I've really done it, I've flat out told her I've been staring at her, oh no, abort mission, abort mission!_ "U-um, anyway, I have to go back to-to work so, um...yeah I have to...um...bye now!"

Yachi rises from her seat and starts to sprint back to her house to escape the unsalvageable conversation she'd inadvertently sabotaged when Kiyoko calls out to her. She stops, and hesitantly turns back to face her.

"If you ever want to come and get your hair and nails done, you're more than welcome to. I'll even give you a discount." Kiyoko smiles that breathtaking smile at her again. "Or maybe if you just want to come and have some tea with me...that would be fine, too. I could use some company." 

Kiyoko rises and bows politely to Yachi before turning toward her salon. She gives her one last look, smile still on her face.

"It was nice meeting you, Hitoka."

She disappears into the salon, and Yachi is left to stand in the middle of the sidewalk with a dumbstruck expression. She wobbles on her feet and has to catch her balance before she's finally able to sprint away to the safety of her apartment.

Once she's inside, she slams the door shut and slides down the panels, sitting on the floor with her hair and clothes all out of place and teacup clattering to the ground. She sits there for a minute before curling up into a ball, her face burning hotter and hotter as she recalls the events that had just taken place. _Shimizu Kiyoko._ She curls into an even tighter ball, and allows herself to flop over onto her welcome mat.

_I am so, royally screwed._


	2. brown-eyed sunspot

Kiyoko's routine was pretty much set in stone. She would get up, go to work, have some tea, come home, have some more tea, go to sleep, and start the whole thing over the next day. There was no room for error, no room for failure, and no room for anything out of the ordinary. That's how it's been ever since she was a child. 

That's why, when she woke up late, she was in such a hurry that she forgot to take her tea with her. As a result, she'd moped around the whole day, burying herself in her work and sealing herself off from her coworkers to try and forget there was a blip in her schedule. Of course, that didn't pan out too well, as she'd burned herself out in record time and had nothing to calm her nerves. So she'd sat outside on the small outdoor dining setup to get fresh air. The sounds around her swirled and mingled, clouded her mind and sent her into a minor craze. It had seemed like the day was simply too much and she'd just been about to leave when something interrupted her.

When someone coughed above her, her first instinct had been to simply get up and walk away due to the unfortunate sensory overload she'd experienced, but when she looked up, she couldn't find it in her to be rude.

The girl was fairly plain. Short, slight, and nervous. She had short blonde hair kept in a simple, childish style not unlike Kiyoko's own when she was young. It looked like she hadn't planned to be outside, if her house clothes and slippers were anything to go off of. Kiyoko never was one to make direct eye contact, but from where she was looking she could tell the girl before her had warm, sweet chocolate brown eyes. She was so focused on her appearance that she hadn't noticed the cup of tea she'd been holding, and it was only brought to her attention when the girl looked away. With her cheeks flushed and her hands trembling, Kiyoko could only muster a single thought.

_Cute._

Her arms seemed to act on their own, taking the cup from shaky hands and even inviting her to sit down with her. The girl was kind, and looked at her with such wonder that Kiyoko couldn't help but be fascinated by her. Who is she, and what caused her to come here? Were there ulterior motives? As far back as Kiyoko could recall, everybody who approached her had the same sort of thoughts in mind. Their eyes spoke of greed and lust, even as their mouths spoke of innocence. But, as Kiyoko ventured a peek at her eyes, she could tell this girl wasn't like them.

Her brilliant brown eyes spoke only of compassion and curiosity. They told her that to this girl, Kiyoko was a sort of idol, maybe even a deity. But even so, they told her this girl was interested in her not as an object, but as a person. She was not put on a pedestal as a trophy, rather she was elevated as a queen. It was new for her to be looked at that way, so before she could calculate her actions, she asked her for her name. 

Her name was Hitoka. Even as she admitted to spying on her, Kiyoko could not bring herself to be angry. In fact, she'd even offered to give her a discount for a trip to her salon. Hitoka had been so adorably flustered then, and Kiyoko had to stifle a giggle at the sight of her. Even as she'd returned the cup and let the salon door close behind her, she smiled and watched Hitoka sprint away as if she was being chased by a wild animal. Even when she disappeared into her apartment building, Kiyoko stared at the spot where she once was. 

_Yachi Hitoka._

Kiyoko wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she relives their interactions. Her smile grows.

_Yachi Hitoka who sees me._

~~

With a flourish, Kiyoko finishes the final cut on her client's hair. The slightly older woman looks at her reflection with awe, and she's easily reminded of bright, energetic brown eyes. Her client thanks her profusely, as they always do, and practically runs out the door in her eagerness to show off her new style. Kiyoko starts cleaning her station for the next client when a familiar face pops up in her mirror.

"Another day another worship, eh Kiyo?" Tanaka Saeko grins from behind Kiyoko's chair. "You know, you're practically a god at this point. Next thing you know we'll be getting offerings of bread and rice at our front door."

Kiyoko sweeps the floor without responding. Saeko is no doubt the most animated of the stylists, and is the second most requested stylist just behind Kiyoko herself. She's especially popular among teenagers due to her upbeat and teasing nature. She snips the air a couple times with her pink-handled scissors. 

"I had a couple clients today ask me if I feel jealous about your popularity, but," Saeko grins. "Being popular blows. Too many expectations, too many creepies thinking you owe them something. But you seem to handle all that pretty well."

Kiyoko pauses. "You think so?"

Saeko blinks. "Yeah. I mean, you never break under pressure, no matter how much there is. It's kind of exhausting sometimes watching you work yourself to the bone without even breaking a sweat. Impressive, but exhausting."

"I see..." Sweep, sweep. "I guess it's just been ingrained into my head to work that way. I don't know how else to do it."

Saeko hums and leans over the back of the chair. "Say, have you ever had a vacation?"

Another pause. "Vacation?"

"Yeah. Like, have you ever gotten up and gone somewhere cool for a while? Taken a break from work to focus on relaxing? Maybe faked sick for a week or two? Anything like that?"

A frown crosses Kiyoko's features. "I don't have time for that."

Saeko's eyebrows meet her hairline. "For real? Not even once? Dude, that can't be healthy. You've gotta think about yourself for once, Kiyo. The whole time I've been here the only breaks I've seen you take are at max ten minutes long, and you just sit outside with tea."

"I take lunch breaks, too."

"I don't think eating some crackers in the few minutes between clients count as lunch breaks."

Kiyoko sighs. "There's no need to worry. I am perfectly healthy. I just have a certain routine that I've always followed and I would like to keep it that way."

This time, Saeko is the one to frown. She's about to speak again when a bell signals another customer at the door. She sighs and takes a long look at her coworker before heading off to assist the client. 

_She has really got to get out more._

~~

The next day, Saeko shoves a pamphlet in Kiyoko's face with her signature mischievous grin. Kiyoko blinks, her eyes not focusing on the paper so close to her face. "What is this?"

"Vacation spot. I don't care what you say about your routine being unbreakable and all that, I know stir crazy when I see it. You're spending so much time in here that you're missing out on some cool stuff! This," she points at the pamphlet, her long, pink nails making a clicking sound as she does so. "Is for a hot spring. It's not too far away but it's out of town. I'll pay for your tickets so just take a few days off and go ahead. It'll be good for you."

Kiyoko pushes the paper away. "Saeko, I appreciate the offer but I really can't afford-"

"Nonsense!" Saeko holds up the paper again, pointing at it more vigorously. "You need some time off, whether you think you do or not. Trust me on this, Kiyo, I've seen this kind of thing happen before. Ken, Ali and I will keep a good eye on the salon while you're away, so don't you worry your pretty little head."

"Isn't a vacation meant to be a choice?"

"Not always. So, will you go? Not that I'm giving you a choice here."

"...fine. I get the feeling you will only continue to pester me if I refuse."

"You know me so well."

Kiyoko shakes her head in exasperation and moves to start setting up her station. Saeko whirls on her feet, her smile widening. "Oh, I forgot to mention I bought two of them. So you'd better not let it go to waste!"

"If the intention was to get me to focus on myself, then why did you buy two tickets?"

Saeko snickers. "I saw you chatting with that little cutie pie a couple days ago. You _never_ let anyone sit with you there, let alone invite them to come back! I want you to take her with you. It'll be a bonding experience!"

Kiyoko stiffens. She's about to refuse when Hitoka appears in her mind. She's smiling, with her cheeks pink and her cinnamon-colored eyes sparkling, holding her hand out for Kiyoko to take. She remembers the way she'd been looking at her, with such care and compassion, and she can no longer find it in herself to say no.

"...okay. I will invite her. But I cannot guarantee she will join me."

Saeko hoots and punches the air in victory. "Hells yeah! Kiyo, there's no way she's gonna say no. Who could possibly say no to you, especially when they so obviously want your attention?"

Kiyoko turns to straighten her workplace. Her coworker was only kidding, of course, but something about that last sentence bothers her. She speaks as though Hitoka is a person like the others, a person who would use something like this for the wrong purposes. But she knows she's not like that. Hitoka is not that kind of person.

"Hitoka is different."

Saeko turns and blinks owlishly at her coworker. She makes a noise of inquiry, but Kiyoko seems to be caught up in her cleaning. She watches her straighten up, and a face-splitting grin spreads across her face. _Different, you say?_ She snickers to herself. _I understand._

~~

It's the day after that when something Kiyoko honestly never believed would happen, happened; Yachi Hitoka hobbles into the front door of her salon, twiddling her fingers with her gaze dancing about in uncertainty. Immediately, Kiyoko is on her feet heading toward the front desk, a genuine smile on her face when Hitoka looks up at her sheepishly. 

"Hello, Hitoka. What can I do for you?" Kiyoko inquires with enough enthusiasm that the other on-duty stylist pauses in their work to look over at them. 

"Um...I remembered what you said...a few days ago? About me coming in for a haircut and stuff?" Hitoka fiddles with the end of her shirt. "Well...I'm due for a trim anyway, so I thought maybe I would come down here and see what you could do for me."

Kiyoko's smile widens by a fraction. "I see. You came at a good time; I don't have any appointments right now so I can get started with you right away if you would like."

Hitoka's face brightens, and Kiyoko swears she's blinded by those beautiful eyes of hers. "Really? I'd like that!"

Hitoka lets herself be guided to Kiyoko's station, and she's practically glowing with excitement when the sheet is placed around her. She sparkles and shines like a beacon of pure sunlight, and Kiyoko tries her best to not let herself be flustered.

She soon discovers that Hitoka is a very good client. She doesn't flinch when the water starts off a bit too cold, and she doesn't move around when the shampoo starts to foam. She lets Kiyoko run her fingers through her damp hair, and doesn't even protest when she hits a knot. She calmly lays with her eyes shut and lets Kiyoko do her job. Kiyoko is gentle as she untangles Hitoka's hair, and she's even gentler as she brushes through it with a comb. Hitoka is unbothered by the drier as well, keeping tranquil in the flurry of hair and warm air. By the end of the washing process, Kiyoko's face is a bit flushed and thoughts race through her mind.

_I want to keep doing Hitoka's hair._

With her hair now dry and sitting pretty atop her head, Hitoka's eyes open once more and Kiyoko is surprised to see that her excitement hasn't faded at all. She's met with a bright smile.

"So, what do you think would look good on me?"

_Everything._

"It depends on how much you want taken off." Kiyoko brushes the ends of Hitoka's hair. They just barely graze her shoulders. "But I think it would suit you if it went to your jawline."

"Then let's do that!" Hitoka hums happily. "I'll put all my trust into you."

Kiyoko is suddenly all too aware of their close proximity as she retrieves her scissors. She can feel Hitoka's body heat through the sheet around her, and she can faintly detect the scent of wild berries and lilacs. She swallows hard, hoping Hitoka couldn't hear it, and gets to work. She trims the ends off first, cutting off any and all split ends that might be present. She holds her comb in her mouth, using her fingers to measure the proper amount to cut. When the time comes, she uses her comb to re-part Hitoka's hair, and clips her bangs back to start making the important cuts.

Ten minutes later, the floor beneath them is sprinkled with blonde hair, and Kiyoko finally sets her scissors aside. She gets close to Hitoka's face to measure the symmetry, ignoring her own heartbeat as well as Hitoka's reddening face. When she's done fluffing it, she applies a tiny bit of spray and turns the chair around, handing Hitoka a mirror.

"All done. What do you think?"

Hitoka's gasp is followed closely by a tiny squeak as she looks over Kiyoko's work. Her hair, true to Kiyoko's vision, is at her jawline, with one side slightly longer than the other and the back steadily climbing upwards in a not-quite-pixie, not-quite-bob style. Her bangs have been trimmed back and cleaned up, and her side ponytail is notably missing. She jumps in her seat with enthusiasm.

"Wow! You're really, really good at this! Aah!" Hitoka fiddles with her new hairstyle. "This looks so cute!"

_Not as cute as you._

Kiyoko smiles. "I'm glad you like it. I wasn't sure what to do about your ponytail, but I made sure it was still long enough to put one in if you want to."

Hitoka looks up at her. "Thank you! You did a great job! I can't believe I was putting off coming here just 'cause I was embarrassed!" She laughs at herself and continues poking and prodding at her hair.

The stylist's smile widens. "That's great. I can't do your nails today since it's a haircut-only day, but tomorrow we can do it for you if you'd like."

"Well, if you're even half as good at that as you are with this, count me in!"

Kiyoko giggles behind her hand. "Then that's that. I'll put your name down."

Hitoka follows Kiyoko to the register, where she makes another appointment. She's still playing with her hair while Kiyoko prints out a receipt. While she's distracted, Kiyoko quietly pulls out a pen and writes on the back of the paper before she hands it to Hitoka.

"I will see you tomorrow. It was good to see you again, Hitoka."

Hitoka, beaming, thanks Kiyoko again and heads out the door with a spring in her step. Kiyoko watches her fondly, and the other stylist strides up to her after cleaning up his station.

"So that's who Tanaka was talking about yesterday..." he says, carefully studying Kiyoko's expression. "She reminds me of someone I know."

Kiyoko closes up the register and looks at her coworker. "Kozume. It's unlike you to talk to people without prompt."

Kenma exhales slowly. "Not really..."

He turns to walk back to his station, but is stopped by Kiyoko's voice.

"Don't tell Saeko Hitoka was in here. She'd never let me live it down."

He just sighs, and looks at her with a barely-there glint in his catlike eyes. "I won't tell her if she doesn't ask me."

"Good enough."

He shrugs and heads back to his station, sitting in his chair and pulling out his phone. Kiyoko leans over the front desk with her head in her hands.

"But I definitely won't tell her that you wrote your number down on her receipt."

Kiyoko smiles.

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some kiyoko pov for the soul. also i am well aware that tattoos are taboo in japan and people with them arent really allowed in hot springs, but for the sake of the plot lets pretend thats not a thing (づ￣ ³￣)づ
> 
> (i love the idea that kiyoko gets attached easily can you tell?)

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written for Haikyuu before, so let me know how I'm doing! ＼(￣▽￣)/


End file.
